The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 1% on Thursday to trade near 34,500, driven largely by strength in the retail sector. Dollarama jumped nearly 9% after reporting quarterly sales and earnings that beat forecasts. The retailer posted net sales of C$1.85 billion in the first quarter, above expectations of C$1.82 billion, while earnings came in at C$1.05 per share, surpassing estimates of C$0.99. Peers Loblaw (+1%) and Alimentation Couche-Tard (+2%) also advanced.
On the geopolitical front, U.S. President Trump said Washington would strike Iran again and stepped up pressure on Tehran to reach an agreement. Despite the renewed rhetoric, oil prices moved lower, dragging bond yields down and easing worries about energy-driven inflation.
Major banks traded higher, with RBC and TD Bank each gaining more than 1%. Mining stocks also strengthened as gold prices inched up, with Barrick adding 1.5%. Energy shares advanced amid ongoing uncertainty around the normalization of oil supplies, led by a nearly 2% rise in Imperial Oil.
